Quetta, Pakistan: Early Saturday morning, Ikhtiar Hussain, a senior ticket inspector for Pakistan Railways, arrived at Quetta Railway Station in Balochistan province around 8:25 am local time (03:25 GMT) to begin his shift. Moments later, a powerful explosion shook the station, causing Hussain to fall as shrapnel hit his right cheek, leaving him injured and bleeding.
The bombing, which targeted passengers waiting for the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express, claimed at least 26 lives, including both security personnel and civilians, and injured dozens more. Hussain, 47, survived but now bears both physical wounds and lasting memories of the tragic event.
“It felt like Judgement Day, as people who were smiling just moments before were suddenly lying in a bloodbath,” Hussain recounted from Civil Hospital Quetta, where he is receiving treatment.
Pakistani authorities have confirmed that the attack was a suicide bombing. Investigations are ongoing to determine how the bomber accessed the station despite strict security measures at entry and exit points. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an outlawed armed group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other political leaders have condemned the attack, vowing justice for the victims. Yet, many affected families demand answers from the government on how such a devastating attack was possible.
Hafiz Allah Ditta, a 32-year-old mason, was at the station to see off a friend who is now in critical condition. “As we entered Platform No. 1, a powerful blast rocked the area,” Ditta recalled. He added that police were conducting baggage checks at the ticket booth but called for tighter security measures, noting the attacker’s ability to evade them.
The incident highlights a rise in violent attacks in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan. Authorities are grappling with various armed groups, including ISIL (ISIS), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and Baloch separatists. Just last week, an IED explosion killed nine people, targeting a police vehicle in Mastung, roughly 52km from Quetta.
Commissioner Hamza Shafqat, overseeing administrative affairs in Quetta, reported that CCTV footage suggests the attacker entered the station disguised as a passenger. Muhammad Amir Rafique, a railway employee on duty, described the scene as chaotic, with screams and dust filling the air as he assisted police and rescue teams in transporting the injured.
Source: Al Jazeera
